September 29,2021

Dear friends,

All hell broke loose on the grape front last week. I bought a big tub of seedless Thompsons at Aldi, then realized my lush but usually barren vines out back were absolutely loaded this year and ready to pick.

 I was eating grapes like mad in my morning yogurt and by the cluster for evening snacks when the other shoe dropped. Tony volunteered to help pick grapes for his friend, Paul O’Neill, at Weymouth Farms, Orchard and Winery in Hinckley. He came home with thank-you bottles of Paul’s suave wines (www.weymouthfarms.com) and two one-gallon clam shells of vinifera grapes. The grapes are exceptionally delicious, but geez. We could barely wedge them in the refrigerator amid the watermelon, corn, a brisket and a defrosting duck.

The next morning as Tony headed out for another day of picking, I warned him against bringing home more grapes. We simply had no more room in the refrigerator, not to mention our stomachs.

Of course he brought home two more big tubs of grapes. He apologized as I envisioned rotting grapes and a kitchen full of fruit flies by morning. Then I remembered a message from a friend earlier in the day who had sympathized with my grape problem. Her solution: roasted grapes.

I took her advice and reduced a large sheet pan of grapes to one cup of luscious grape compote with roasted shallots. I’ll repeat until the grape situation is under control. The first batch of compote is in the freezer, waiting to grace my smoked turkey at Thanksgiving.

Any type of grape will work in the following recipe. It’s good enough to buy grapes just for the  compote. Or stop by and I’ll give you some. Please!

ROASTED GRAPE AND SHALLOT COMPOTE

1/4 cup olive oil

About 1 lb. grapes (enough to fill a rimmed baking sheet)

4 shallots, peeled and quartered

Coarse sea salt

1 tsp. herbes de Provence

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Pour olive oil in the middle of the baking sheet. If the grapes have seeds, remove and discard them. Combine grapes and shallot quarters on the baking sheet and toss with hands to coat with olive oil. Spread in a single layer over baking sheet. Roast at 425 degrees until grapes slump and are wrinkled and jammy, about 45 minutes.   Season lightly with sea salt and herbes de Provence. When cool, scoop into a lidded container and chill or freeze. Makes about 1 cup.

GUT CHECK

What I cooked recently:

Roasted, caramelized butternut squash, shrimp burgers from Trader Joe’s; pancakes and eggs with apple butter; smoked brisket; tarte tatin; roast tomato spaghetti sauce; roast butternut and dumpling squash; roast grape and shallot compote; smoked duck with spicy Asian orange sauce; vegan curried lentil, butternut and apple stew.

What I carried out/ate in restaurants:

Pepperoni pizza from Big Star Pizza in Copley; Superfoods Salad from Aladdin’s in Montrose; hibachi chicken-vegetable stir fry and rice at Kintaro’s in Fairlawn; tomato soup, baguette and pumpkin cut-out cookie at Panera; eggs, ham and toast at Farmer Boy Restaurant in Lakemore.

THE MAILBAG

From Ann:

Hey Jane, your lobster rolls look great! I might have to have them next week. I saw your potato post on Facebook. Nice crop!  Were yours bigger this year? Our Austrian fingerlings are up to 6 ounces! So much rain has left us with the largest crop we have ever grown. We still have to dig most of the bed, so there still may be surprises in store.

Dear Ann:

Yes, our potatoes are larger than last year and the crop is bigger, too. Those who don’t have much room or, like me, aren’t big on digging should round up some buckets or sturdy plastic grocery bags for next year.  Fill with three or four inches of soil, add a seed potato or two and cover with soil. Water and add more soil as the plant grows. When you’re ready to harvest, just dump out the buckets or bags.

I also had a great garlic harvest this year, thanks to my friend, Ric, who shared his know-how and garlic for planting. He says now is the time to plant for next year, so hop to it!

September 15, 2021

Dear friends,

Follow me down this rabbit hole, please. It’s the only way you’ll understand  how I got from baked Brie (oven-proof plate, crackers, 10 minutes tops) to the adorable miniature lobster rolls I took to a get-together last week.

Four of us were meeting, each supplying an appetizer for a communal snack fest. I paged through the recipe files in my head, discarding the Brie as too easy, the baby reuben cups as too proletarian and a reverse shrimp cocktail I’ve been wanting to make — shot glasses of cool gazpacho with a sizzling-hot shrimp hanging off each rim — as too much last-minute fussing.

So what did I really hunger for? When I asked myself that question, the answer was easy: Lobster rolls. I’d been yearning for one. But because they are a meal rather than a snack, I had to shrink them. So baby lobster rolls.

Could it be done with minimum teeth-gnashing? Yes. I made 3-inch-long brioche buns. I cracked lobster claws and dug out the meat. I tossed the meat in melted butter (mayo is for philistines) and, at my friend’s house, stuffed the buttery lobster into the wee buns. They were delicious.

They were also a good bit of work. I enjoyed making them. Those who are not like-minded could always cut purchased hot dog buns in thirds for easy mini lobster rolls.

The dough for the buns is made one day, risen overnight in the fridge, and shaped and baked the day of the party. This helps streamline production. I found frozen, 1-pound bags of lobster claws and legs in the shell in a supermarket. One bag yields 8 ounces of meat, plenty for about a dozen rolls.

Of course, you could always just heat up a wheel of Brie. But then you’d miss the joy of eating a lobster roll in two perfect bites.

MINI LOBSTER ROLLS

BUNS:

3 1/3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

2 tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. warm milk

1 cup warm water (90 to 110 degrees)

2 eggs

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Melt butter and combine with warm milk. Whisk together warm water and one egg in a small bowl. Combine with the butter-milk mixture.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 1 hour at room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.

Bring dough to room temperature. Line two 9-inch-square baking pans with parchment paper. Briefly knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Pinch off a large walnut-sized piece of dough and weigh. Add or subtract dough to get a 1 1/2-ounce portion. Repeat until you have 12 portions. Wrap and freeze remaining dough or shape into a large loaf to bake later.

One at a time, roll or pat each piece of dough to a rectangle about 4 inches wide and 5 inches long. Fold the short edges toward each other, overlapping like a letter. Press to seal. Beginning again at a short edge, roll dough tightly like a cigar. Fold the ends under and press the seams to seal. The finished dough logs should be about 3 inches long.

Place 8 dough logs in one pan, evenly spaced in two rows. Place remaining four logs in one row in the other pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.

Whisk remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. When dough is ready to bake, uncover and brush tops with the egg wash. Bake 15 to 20  minutes, until tops are golden. Cool slightly, then remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

FILLING:

4 tbsp. butter

8 oz. lobster meat, thawed if frozen

Melt butter. Pat the lobster meat dry. Cut the lobster into irregular pieces. Stir into the melted butter.

Make a vertical slice lengthwise in the top of each bun. Fill with buttered lobster meat just before serving. Makes 12.

GUT CHECK

What I cooked:

Baked korma chicken with brown basmati rice; tomato sandwich with whipped cream cheese and pesto; thick-cut smoked porterhouse steak, sheet pan ratatouille, corn on the cob; mini lobster rolls; stuffed peppers; broiled Spam, cheese, onion and tomato sandwiches; cheeseburgers and wedges of honeydew melon; brownies; fresh tomato soup with sausage and wilted greens.

What I ate out/carried in:

A perfect corn dog at the Geauga County Fair; pepperoni pizza from Big Star Pizza in Copley; fried pollock, french fries and a salad at Alexandri’s in Wadsworth; a bunch of appetizers at my friend Joan’s.

THE MAILBAG

From Diana H.:

Hi, Jane. Thank you for your roasted beets recipe in your cookbook. We roasted beets, let them cool and then removed the skin. For the dressing, we used apple cider vinegar instead of raspberry vinegar. Then we added goat cheese and chopped almonds! Delicious! Thank you.

Dear Diana:

I have been looking at fresh beets at farm markets with that recipe in mind. I will buy some this week. The prep is almost too simple to be called a recipe: Fresh beets are roasted, the skin slipped off, and dressed with raspberry vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil. If you want to get fancy, add a few crumbles of soft cheese and a few toasted nuts. Here’s the recipe for those in the mood for fresh beets this month:

ROASTED  BEETS WITH RASPBERRY VINEGAR

6 medium beets, about 2 inches in diameter (about 1 lb.)

2 tbsp. raspberry vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. snipped fresh chives

Sea salt

Trim the leafy stems to within a half-inch of the beet tops. Do not trim the root end. Gently wash the beets and place in a baking pan with 1/2 inch of hot water. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the beets can be pierced easily with a fork. Uncover and cool.

Trim off the top and root ends in a sink. Slip off the skins under cool running water. Over the sink, cut the beets into batons about 1/2 inch wide and as long as each beet.

Place beets in a shallow serving bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil and chives. Drizzle over the beets, tossing gently. Season to taste with sea salt. Chill. Toss again just before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

September 1, 2021

Dear friends,

I’ve been busy. You probably have been, too. This is the last gasp of summer, when we do everything we’ve put off in June and July— see friends, take one-tank trips, visit family. I did all of that plus squeezed in a mini high school reunion. Cooking was involved. I’m exhausted.

I’m not ready to let go of summer, though. I’m still eating corn on the cob like mad and making the most of the tail-end of Ohio peaches. Thanks to your emails, I had plenty of peach recipes from which to choose.

I haven’t gotten to all of them, but the one I made — a cobbler with a crackly hot sugar  crust — was easy and delicious. The recipe is in the Mailbag section of this newsletter.

The cobbler was long gone by the time my mini high school class reunion rolled around. It was a picnic potluck in my hometown of East Liverpool. I needed a dish that would travel well. With the fridge still loaded with peaches, I settled on a slab pie. That’s a giant pie baked not in a pie pan but in a rimmed sheet pan.

I couldn’t find a recipe for the pie I had in mind, so I jiggled recipes and switched ingredients until I got it right. I ended up with a 10-by-15-inch peach pie with a tender, thick-ish crust and a streusel topping. The crust was thick in order to stand up to all the cutting necessary to produce single-serve squares.

You can use your favorite dough recipe for a double-crust pie. I used Ina Garten’s food processor pie dough recipe (https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-pie-crust-recipe-1919026), a current favorite.

Even when a recipe says otherwise, I always bake my pie crusts at least slightly —  5 to 10 minutes — before adding the filling. Before baking, I brush the bottom with an egg wash (an egg briefly beaten with a tablespoon of water). This helps prevent a soggy bottom crust, especially if the pie must be held overnight. And remember, if you chill the pie shell before this initial brief bake, you don’t have to mess with lining and weighting the dough to prevent bubbles.

PEACH STREUSEL SLAB PIE

Crust:

Dough for a double-crust pie

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water

Filling:

12 large peaches

1 cup packed brown sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

6 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Topping:

1 cup flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

8 tbsp. butter, melted

For the crust:

Roll the dough to a rectangle large enough to fit in the bottom and up the sides of a 10-by-15-inch sheet pan. Ease the dough into the pan and up the sides. Trim and crimp the edges. Pierce the pie shell at 3-inch intervals with a fork. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the filling. Then brush the bottom of the shell with the egg mixture. Bake on lower-middle oven rack at 425 degrees for about  8 minutes, until egg mixture is dry. Set aside.

For the filling:

Meanwhile, peel peaches with a sharp vegetable peeler. Cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices, discarding the pits. Place in a bowl with remaining filling ingredients and gently toss to distribute evenly. Spread evenly over pie shell.

For the topping:

Combine flour, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in melted butter while stirring with a fork. Stir very well. Spoon evenly over peach filling.

Bake the sheet pie on the lower middle oven rack at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 and continue to bake for 1 hour, or until peaches are soft and juices are thick and bubbly. Makes about 18 servings.

TIDBIT
Where have I been not to know about bloodsugardown.com? Retired Beacon Journal reporter and restaurant critic Kathryn Spitz writes the blog for those who, like her, are pre-diabetic. That includes my husband and many others of a certain age.

Kathy writes in an accessible way about strategies to keep blood sugar in check with easy recipes and product recommendations. Eating this way is recommended not just for diabetics, of course. The diabetic “diet” is the way most of us should eat for good health.

My favorite part of Kathy’s blog is FoodFinds, where she writes about great products she has found such as Crofter’s fruit spread, Donato’s cauliflower-crust pizza and Nourish Bowls from the supermarket.

The “Struggle” section is packed with information, too. Have you ever wondered whether the barista or waitress poured a “regular” instead of the diet or sugar-free drink you ordered? I have. So has Kathy and her article is illuminating.

Kathy updates her blog weekly. It may be accessed via her website, where you can subscribe for email updates.

GUT CHECK
What I cooked:
Grilled hamburgers and shishito peppers; peach cobbler with hot sugar crust; sheet pan roast chicken and bell peppers; Thai beef salad with mint and cilantro; eggplant lasagne with meat sauce; sheet pan kielbasas and green beans with garlic; pan-grilled pork pinwheels stuffed with sausage, fried sage, steamed corn on the cob and sliced tomatoes with pesto; sheet pan ratatouille; chicken korma with basmati rice; potato salad with smoked corn mayo and a sheet pan peach pie for my class reunion picnic; cantaloupe wrapped with prosciutto; chile rellenos quiche; Dublin coddle and sliced heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, sea salt, shredded basil and pesto vinaigrette.

What I ate out/carried out:
Shredded beef, beans, cheese and salsa over tortilla chips (Dori Locos) at La Fresa on Canton Road in Akron; New York-style pepperoni pizza (several) from Big Star in Copley; oysters on the half shell and garlic-butter steamed mussels and shrimp with corn on the cob, redskin potatoes and sausage at King Crab in Akron; spicy crab salad (yuck) and a spring roll at Otani Noodles in Cleveland; pork and steak tacos from Casa del Rio Express in Fairlawn; Greek burger with fries at Alexandri’s in Wadsworth; turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes at Bob Evans; pulled pork, smoked brisket, corn muffins, baked beans and mango slaw from Millstone Southern Smoked BBQ in Logan, Ohio; roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing and a roll at Olde Dutch Restaurant in Logan.

THE MAILBAG
Thanks to all who sent peach recipes. I’m especially thrilled to have two from Splendid Fare caterer Susan Parish-Schwab. When she says a recipe is good, you can take it to the bank.

Martha K.’s peach-aperol spritzer sounds refreshing, and I intend to try Pat Swarts’s original recipe for peach chutney, which should be a fine addition to the Thanksgiving table.

From Susan Parrish-Schwab:
I am sending along some of my favorite peach recipes. Enjoy!

SUSAN’S SUMMER SHRIMP SEVICHE

Peach Chipotle sauce:

Puree fresh peaches, peach nectar, ground chipotle to taste with a touch of lime juice.

Dice cucumber and celery and place in the bottom of a martini glass, top with three jumbo poached shrimp, peach sauce, and scallion threads.

Garnish with a celery leaf sprig, a bamboo sword pick through one of the shrimp and a dusting of smoked sea salt.

WHITE PEACH SANGRIA 

2 peaches, sliced and peeled

¾ cup peach schnapps

1 bottle chilled moscato (or pink zinfandel)

1 liter chilled sparkling peach or plain seltzer water

Slice peaches and marinate overnight in schnapps. Add moscato and seltzer the next day.

From Martha K.:

More peach recipes!

PEACH-APEROL SPRITZ

(from Bon Appetit)

1 lb. ripe peaches or nectarines, cut into wedges, or frozen, thawed sliced peaches

2 oz. Aperol

½ oz. Averna amaro

1 lemon, sliced

1 orange, sliced

1 750-ml bottle chilled sparkling rosé

Muddle peaches in a large pitcher to crush lightly. Add Aperol, Averna, lemon slices and orange slices. Pour in rosé and stir gently to combine. Pour into glasses to serve.

From Pat Swarts:

I’m answering your call for peach recipes! I grew up in California and my dad’s pride and joy was his prolific peach tree. Anything with peaches reminds me of him and the wonderful things my mom would make with oodles of peaches.

Attached are three recipes you might want to try. The peach cobbler’s crackly crust takes it to a new level. The baked chicken recipe is delicious and different. (I cut the brown sugar to 1-2 tablespoons, finding that sweet peaches don’t need one-third cup.) Both recipes are from the Washington Post. And the chutney is my very own recipe. I freeze it in 8-ounce containers and it’s great with Thanksgiving turkey.

I also make grilled peaches (with vanilla ice cream), peach salsa, and a lettuce salad with sliced peaches, red onion, pecans, and bleu cheese. I’ll try your peach salad this week.

PEACH COBBLER WITH HOT SUGAR CRUST

10 large, ripe peaches (about 4 1/2 lbs.) pitted but not peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large lemon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup hot water

Heavy cream, for serving

Heat the oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in the center. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Arrange the peaches in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan or gratin dish. Using a zester or

Microplane, zest about 2 teaspoons of lemon zest evenly over the fruit. Cut the lemon in

half and squeeze about 1/4 cup of lemon juice over the top.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups of

the sugar on medium speed until creamy but sandy, about 1 minute. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat on medium speed until all the flour is incorporated and the mixture is evenly crumbly, about 30 seconds more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the milk. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the batter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Scoop the batter in about 6 large blobs over the peaches. With an offset spatula or

the back of a big spoon, carefully spread the batter evenly over the fruit so it’s no more

than about 1/2 inch thick in any one place.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup sugar over the batter. Drizzle the hot water evenly over

the sugar, using it to melt the sugar topping.

Set the pan on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake the cobbler at 350 degrees until the top is golden brown and cracked, 70 to 80 minutes. A toothpick stuck in the topping should come out clean or with just crumbs clinging—be sure to check in a few places.

Let the cobbler cool for about 30 minutes to firm up. Serve warm, scooping it into big

bowls and pouring a little heavy cream over the top.

BAKED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PEACHES

3 ripe peaches

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (without tenderloins, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)

Kosher salt

Fresh-ground black pepper

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground mace or freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 lemon

Basil leaves, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Have a large, shallow roasting pan at hand. Boil a

kettle of water. Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to cut a wide “X” at the bottom of each peach. Pour the boiling water into a deep heatproof bowl. Add the peaches and let them sit for about a minute; you should see the skins start to curl where you scored the fruit. Remove the peaches from the bowl, then carefully peel and discard the skins. As soon as the fruit is cool enough to handle, cut it in half, discard the pit and then cut each peach into about 8 equal slices.

Place the chicken breast halves between 2 pieces of plastic wrap; pound to an even

thickness of 1/2 inch, then season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.

Arrange them in the pan in a single layer, then it’s your choice: For a more fruit-forward

flavor, sprinkle the chicken with the brown sugar, ginger and mace or nutmeg, then top

each one with the sliced peaches. For a sweeter treatment, place the peaches directly on the chicken, then sprinkle the fruit with the brown sugar, ginger and mace or nutmeg.

Squeeze the lemon half’s juice evenly over each portion. Bake (middle rack) for 20

minutes, or until the center of the chicken registers 155 degrees on an instant-read

thermometer and is browned on top; the sugar and spices applied over the fruit will give

the dish a more browned look. There should be a fair amount of pan juices.

Coarsely chop the basil, if using, and scatter it over the chicken. Serve warm, with some of the pan juices. Makes 4 servings.

SPICY PEACH CHUTNEY

1/2 cup minced sweet onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. butter

2 cups peeled and roughly diced ripe peaches

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper

1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed

3 to 4 tbsp. cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Dash ground cloves

Sauté onion and garlic in butter for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy — about 25-30 minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature. Great with chicken, turkey, pork, or salmon. Or serve with brie and crackers.

Makes 2 cups. Origin: Pat Swarts.

This can be frozen.

August 11, 2021

Dear friends,

I missed the Georgia peach truck on purpose. I waited a month and then meandered  back roads, soaking in summer on my way to Norkus Orchards in Columbiana County. That’s in Ohio, about an hour from my home in Copley, for my far-flung friends.

A sign by the gravel road pointed me up a lane through acres of fruit trees, ending at a big old barn. Were we at the right place? Jim Norkus materialized from the dim interior to usher us inside. The “fruit stand” consisted of a couple of signs nailed to a wall above a narrow counter that displayed a pint of blackberries. No peaches? Norkus pointed behind us, where they were stacked several crates high across most of the barn.

Norkus grows a bunch of varieties, mostly for wholesale accounts such as Heinen’s Grocery Stores. He gave me two dead-ripe peaches to try. I think I ended up with a half-bushel of the Red Havens, but they both tasted so good I didn’t think to ask.

Norkus nodded as I bit into the first one and groaned. “Out-of-state peaches don’t taste nearly as good as these,” he said. Yes, it makes a difference ripening them longer on the trees. It also makes a difference in how long you can keep them, so I’m frantically trying to figure out how to use the juicy, perfect peaches that fill to the brim both crispers of my refrigerator.

So far I’ve sliced and frozen a dozen peaches, eaten a half dozen and turned six more into a peach Caprisi salad I heard of from Kitty Crider, the retired food editor of the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman. Ripe peaches — they must be ripe — are peeled, halved and arranged over thin-sliced mozzarella cheese with fresh basil leaves, good olive oil, balsamic vinegar and coarse-ground pepper. It is a vision on the plate and absolutely delicious.

If you’d like to visit the farm, which also grows apples, Norkus Orchards is at 36500 Perry Grange Road near Salem, phone 330-277-6774. Meanwhile, I’m desperate for peach recipes. Help!

PEACH CAPRISI SALAD

For each salad:

3 ripe peaches

2 or 3 thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese (or equivalent)

8 to 10 basil leaves

1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Drops of balsamic vinegar

Pinch or two of crushed peppercorns

Pinch of coarse sea salt

Peel peaches and cut each in half. Discard pit. Trim each piece to remove ragged edges and to enable each peach half to stand on one edge. Arrange the mozzarella in a single layer down the middle of a salad plate. Arrange the peach halves in pairs, facing each other, in a line atop the mozzarella.

Tuck basil leaves in among the peach halves. Drizzle with the oil and drops of balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the peppercorns and salt. Chill. Each salad serves two.

TIDBIT
A North Hill Thai restaurant people have been talking about is actually, to my delight,  Burmese. I have searched for a Burmese restaurant for years and even bought a thick Burmese cookbook that is too complicated to cook from. And now there’s Burmese food in my back yard.

Lyeh Thai, in the old Parasson’s building, is billed as a Thai restaurant and offers Thai staples such as drunken noodles, pad Thai and coconut curries. The menu also roams around Asia with Vietnamese pho, crab Rangoon Japanese sushi, Indian samosas and Chinese sweet and sour chicken. But the owners are from Myanmar (formerly Burma) and sneak more than a dish or two onto the menu.

I don’t know if the pan-Asian dishes have a Burmese twist but I hope so. Tony’s fried rice sure didn’t taste like anything I’ve had before. Neither did the delicious samosas. I went straight for the Burma tea leaf salad, a classic Burmese dish of crunchy pulses and nuts, shredded cabbage and flecks of soft, umami-infused stuff I found out later were fermented tea leaves. I loved it.

The restaurant is a modest little place with servers who also cook and come out to explain the menu. I suspect it’s wholly family-run, although communication was too difficult for more than the most basic facts.

I have been searching for Burmese food because back when I was reviewing, it was one of the few cuisines I had yet to explore. Now I have a whole menu to dive into.

Lyeh Thai is at 501 N. Main St. in Akron. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily except Mondays.

GUT CHECK
What I cooked:
Brisket tacos with salsa and sour cream; pan-grilled ham steak, baked new potatoes, baked Delicata squash, steamed green beans; BLTs; lemon-stuffed smoked whole chickens, mashed potatoes, pan-grilled zucchini slices with sweet soy sauce; grilled chicken salad with grapes; smoked ribs, roast eggplant and roast cubed potatoes; corn on the cob; warm blackberry and peach crumbles with vanilla ice cream; peach Caprisi salad; peach frozen yogurt; shrimp cocktail and a wedge salad with sieved egg, bacon, blue cheese and white French dressing; pan-grilled bratwurst and peppers; blackberry cobbler.

What I ate out/carried in:
California roll from Sushi Katsu in Akron; Burmese tea leaf salad and chicken samosas from Lyeh Thai in Akron; New York-style mushroom pizza from Big Star Pizza in Copley; Sicilian pepperoni pizza from Big Star; chicken tawoosh pita from Big Star;

THE MAILBAG
From Susan B.
Your newsletter (July 26) sounds like you are doing terrific; good to hear you sound so positive. I am still smiling. 

I, too, am always interested in the “food part” of any adventure.  My mother said I was like that as a child. I did not care the length of the trip or where we were going, I just wanted to know if we were going to eat along the way!

Anyhow, what I am curious about is if you have heard anything about the Enchanted Café.  After closing down during the pandemic, I have not heard a thing.  It was such a treat to go there — the food was good and the owners were great.

Thanks for your continued commitment to the newsletter.  I know there are many, like me, who really enjoy your visit to our in boxes.  Stay happy and be well.

Dear Susan:
Thank you for the cheery email. I’m sorry to report, though, that I have heard nothing about the Enchanted Cafe. The little Barberton restaurant, with elves and fairies painted on the walls, was delightful. I hope it reopens soon.

From Paula C.:
I see you are newly obsessed with Big Star’s thin-crust pepperoni pizza. I go there often for a slice, salad and a Diet Coke during the school year for lunch as I teach nearby. Anyway, I took my dad (who is from Italy) during spring break this year and he wanted to try the Sicilian and that is now MY newest obsession. Have you tried?

Thanks for all you do!

Dear Paula:
You’re welcome, if it means eating pizza. And you’ll see from my Gut Check that I did my duty and tried the Sicilian last week. For the uninitiated, it’s a hefty, oblong pizza with a thick crust and plentiful cheese and toppings. The homemade crusts at Big Star are what make the Copley carryout a star. Many pizza shops these days start with frozen dough and skimp on the quality of the cheese. Not here.

Verdict: While I liked the Sicilian, I’m still obsessed with the New York-style thin crust. Maybe I’ll have to do more tasting.

From Kathy S.:
We are going to NYC for the first time in December. Can you recommend some restaurants?

Dear Kathy:
Hobe Sound, Fl., yes. New York City, no. I used to be the go-to for this kind of information but I haven’t been there in about five years. I miss it and hope to remedy that soon. So I, too, would be interested in recommendations for New York City restaurants, especially little gems like ramen shops and soul food kitchens. Anyone?

July 28, 2021

Dear friends,

My life revolves around gathering food, preparing food and eating it. Those are my hobbies, undiluted by such trivial pastimes as housework, crocheting or playing tennis.

I go to New York City to — what, go to plays? shop? No. I go to eat in restaurants and from street carts. I plan trips like a general preparing for battle. There are maps and notes and arrows and troop movements (Tony is the sometimes-recalcitrant troop).

My bucket list includes the Hatch Chile Festival in Hatch, N.M.

My Saturdays are for farm markets.

I go to movies mainly for the popcorn.

Tony’s favorite outing, browsing the rubble at the Hartville Market, is bearable because I can buy vegetables and overstock groceries (single-slice packets of Spam! chicken-flavored potato chips!).

I used to feel sheepish about my single-minded focus until I read Calvin Trillin’s “Tummy Trilogy,” in which he explained visiting museums on vacations was an activity he used as a kind of digestif to separate the main purpose of travel: Meals.

I ply my hobby in the unlikeliest of places. Last week it was at the optometrist’s while choosing new glasses after cataract surgery. After Susan fitted the glasses and wrote the order, she whipped out a cell phone to show me what she’d made for dinner recently. Neither of us had mentioned food or my previous employment. Yet there she was, describing in detail a suave watermelon salad topped with crisp-fried prosciutto, crumbled feta and microgreens. In the photo, the plank of watermelon rested on a smear of tapenade and the whole thing was ringed with dots of balsamic syrup. It was glorious.

Maybe Susan recognized my name. Maybe she just recognized a kindred spirit. I left with downloaded photos of that gorgeous watermelon salad and knowledge that unlike skiing, say, or pentanque, food is a hobby that can be enjoyed anywhere.

Here’s my take on Susan’s watermelon salad, which she adapted from a recipe she saw on Fox 8’s “New Day Cleveland.”

WATERMELON SALAD WITH TAPENADE, PROSCIUTTO AND FETA

4 thick planks of watermelon (no rind), about 4- by 2- by 2 inches

8 slices prosciutto

4 heaping tbsp. olive tapenade (commercial is fine)

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup microgreens or spring lettuce mix

Balsamic syrup or pomegranate molasses

Cut the watermelon, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. Sizzle the prosciutto in a skillet, turning, until crisp. Wrap lightly in paper towels and set aside. Chill 4 salad plates.

Just before serving, line up the salad plates and ingredients on a counter. Smear the tapenade across the center of each plate and top with the watermelon. Top with the crisp prosciutto and crumbled feta. Gently crown the whole thing with a pouf of microgreens.

Sprinkle dots of the syrup or molasses in a circle around the watermelon. Drag the tines of a fork through the dots to create a pattern, if desired. Makes 4 appetizer portions.

GUT CHECK
Some things I cooked/assembled recently:
Venison soft tacos; sheet pan chicken with potatoes, peppers, cherry tomatoes, olives, feta and oregano; shrimp burgers (Trader Joe’s), coconut cauliflower soup; chicken tacos in jicama wraps; pan-fried cod, steamed new potatoes, raw vegetables and dip; fried egg, avocado and tomato on toast; cod chowder; watermelon salad with tapenade, feta and prosciutto; whole spice-rubbed smoked brisket; rosemary-smoked pork chops.

What I ordered in/from restaurants, etc:
Thin-crust pepperoni pizza from Big Star Pizza in Copley (my new obsession); frozen yogurt from Menchie’s; Spanish omelet and toast at Alexandri’s in Wadsworth; wasabi crunchy roll from Trader Joe’s in Beachwood; mashed potatoes, roast pork and sauerkraut bowl at the cafe in Lehman’s Hardware in Kidron; rack of lamb, baked jasmine rice with feta and olive gremolata at my friend Martha’s; pepperoni pizza from Giuseppe’s in the Portage Lakes.

TIDBITS

Corn season! Yay!!!

THE MAILBAG
From Nancy R.:

Too much work!

(Returned atop my July 14 newsletter for Jian Bing).

Dear Nancy:
I understand. It’s exhausting just reading a recipe divided into four parts. Normally I wouldn’t try to foist such a time suck on you, but this is a Chinese street food millions of people eat daily… An uncommonly delicious food you’ve never heard of!… And never will get to taste it unless you visit China or make it yourself! It’s soft, it’s crunchy, it’s killer!

If you make the thing in stages — the crackers one day, the batter another, the crepes another — it goes quickly. I intend to make them again. Yessiree. Just as soon as I recover from making the last batch.

From Theresa in North Carolina:
Hi Jane. I had a barbecue for family this past weekend and served a dip called Texas Caviar (my neighbor’s recipe). It was such a hit and (contains) lots of good protein from the beans.

TEXAS CAVIAR

1 can (about 15 oz.) black eyed peas

1 can (about 15 oz) black beans

1 can (about 15 oz.) of mexi corn

Drain and rinse these 3 and place in a bowl.

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes cut in quarters

1 packet dry Italian dressing (I used Good Seasons)

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. rice or wine vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lime

Add to items in bowl. Mix well and chill.

1 small avocado, diced

Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Before serving sprinkle with avocado and chopped cilantro.

Serve with blue corn tortilla scoops. It’s also great on chicken tacos!

Lots of variations on this recipe but this is my favorite.

Dear Theresa:
Thanks for another protein-rich recipe for my file. I think I’ll spoon it onto the jicama wraps I bought at Trader Joe’s. The paper-thin slices of jicama, about 4 inches in diameter, are a no-cal swap for corn or flour tortillas. They must be used up within a few days, though, because they spoil quickly.

.

July 14, 2021

Dear friends,

I started craving jian bing the moment Susan Parish-Schwab shared the photo. It showed an egg-coated crepe wrapped around crunchy fried cracker squares streaked with sauce and sprinkled with cilantro. There was lettuce in there somewhere, too. The two big crepe-wrapped crackers were folded toward each other to form a neat, hand-held package.

Susan, an Akron caterer (Splendid Fare) who’s as curious about new foods as I am, says the item is a popular street food in China. She found the recipe on a blog that I also subscribe to, Red House Spice, and later she showed me how to make them.

I looove these things. They are a breakfast food in China, but I like them for lunch or even dinner. Two crepes are a meal. Soft crepes, crunchy crackers, crisp lettuce, spicy sauce…yum.

The crepe packets are speedy to assemble after the crackers and crepes are made. The crackers may be made days in advance and stored in a zipper-lock bag. To make them, wonton wrappers (buy them at a supermarket or Asian store) are sandwiched together, two per cracker, and sealed with water. Two long slits are made in the center of each. The crackers are deep-fried until golden, then drained well and cooled completely before they’re slipped into a plastic bag.

The crepes are made at the last minute. They took me a couple of hair-pulling batches to master but if you follow my directions, you can avoid my mistakes. They are not normal crepes. They are made with a watery batter of white and whole-wheat flour that sticks like glue to the pan. You must be patient and cook the batter about 5 minutes on medium-low heat, until the crepe releases itself from the pan. Only then can you flip it. The level of heat is important; I had success at one notch below medium.

The proportion of white to whole-wheat flour is important, too. I suggest you weigh the flours if possible. The batter should flow like water. Be sure to rest it before making your first giant crepe. A large (10- to 12-inch) nonstick skillet is essential.

If I haven’t scared you off, and if you, too are obsessed with jian bing from just the description, you will be rewarded with a sensational meal after you get the hang of them. Enjoy.

JIAN BING

(From redhousespice.com)

For the crackers:

16 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen

Cooking oil

For the batter:

70 grams all-purpose flour, about ½ cup

40 grams whole-wheat flour, about ¼ cup

300 ml water, 1¼ cups

For the crepes

4 eggs

4 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

4 tsp. finely chopped scallions(green parts only)

For the add-ons 

4 tsp. hoisin sauce

4 tsp. chili garlic sauce or Sriracha

Cilantro leaves

Lettuce leaves

First, make the crackers, which will keep several days in a sealed plastic bag. Start by brushing a thin layer of water on a wonton wrapper. Stick another one on the top then press tight. Cut two parallel lines about 1 1/2 inches long, about 1/2 inch apart, in the center. Repeat to make another 7 pairs.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a medium skillet or pot. When hot (360 degrees), fry the wonton sandwiches one at a time, turning to brown both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Mix the batter:

Put all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour into a mixing bowl. Pour in the water. Stir to combine until smooth. Let sit at least 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Make the crepes

Heat a 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat (I suggest one click below medium). When it’s warm to touch (not burning), brush lightly with oil. Pour in enough batter to thinly coat pan, tilting and swirling to cover the entire surface. Cook for about 5 minutes, until batter on top is set and edges lift away from the pan.

Crack an egg on top of the crepe. Use the back of a spoon to break the yolk and spread the egg evenly over the crepe. Sprinkle with one-fourth of the sesame seeds and scallions.

When the crepe becomes firm and slides easily in the pan, it’s time to flip it over. To avoid tearing, slide the crepe onto the inner side of a large lid then put it back to the pan.

Assemble the dish:

Turn off the heat after flipping (the remaining heat will cook through the egg). Brush hoisin sauce and chili garlic sauce or Sriracha over the crepe.

Sprinkle and lettuce leaves if using. Place two pieces of fried crackers, end to end,  in the center. Fold the sides of the crepe over the crackers. Fold the two crepe-wrapped crackers toward each other to make a neat package. Continue with remaining ingredients to make three more jian bing. Eat with hands. Makes 4 crepes, or two servings.

TIDBIT

Irie Jamaican Kitchen in the Highland Square area of Akron has filled the hole left by the great Jamaican restaurants in Florida Tony and I left behind. The new restaurant is the third in a local chain, with locations in Euclid and Old Brooklyn.

The Highland Square restaurant is bright and cheerful. It is set up similar to a Chipotle — order at a counter and take your haul to a table indoors or out, or tote it home.

The menu is divided into bowls and slightly larger boxes, with various choices of proteins from jerk chicken to oxtail to lobster and shrimp.  My jerk chicken bowl came with rice with pigeon peas, silky cooked cabbage, a pile of fried sweet plantains and boneless chunks of the juicy, spicy meat. Optional extras include cornbread, mac ’n cheese, beef patty and banana pudding.

The restaurant has expanded its opening hours to include lunch. It’s now open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Check it out at www.iriejakitchen.com.

GUT CHECK
What I cooked recently:
Jian bing; Hatch chile smoked sausage sandwiches; cod chowder with potatoes, carrots, sherry and thyme; venison baked tacos with peppers, onions and cilantro; omelet with spicy ground venison, onions and peppers; brined, spatchcocked chicken on the grill, blistered cherry tomatoes, and green beans and asparagus in peanut sauce; salade Nicoise; root beer floats; BLTs and watermelon; fish tacos; tuna sashimi over vinegared rice (Tony); shrimp stir fry with spicy cabbage slaw and green beans.

What I ordered out:
New York-style pepperoni pizza from Big Star Pizza in Copley;  chicken gyro from Big Star; Jerk chicken Island Bowl from Irie Jamaican Kitchen in Akron.

THE MAILBAG
No mail this week. Write to me! Send me some high-protein summer recipes.

I learned recently in a Noom session (that’s a weight-loss app) that eating higher than normal levels of protein is one of only two ways to counteract the slowing metabolism that accompanies weight loss. The other way is building muscle and I’m not great at that.

Here’s the scoop: Researchers have found that those who lose weight also experience a drop in the number of calories necessary to maintain their weight — bout 300 calories on average, which is significant. That’s why I’m loading up on low-cal proteins such as cod, shrimp and chicken breast. Any suggestions?

June 30, 2021

Dear friends,

I feel like Hemingway writing in some jungle hut. A humid breeze cools a trickle of sweat inching down my back. The visita from my screen room is lush — waist-high ferns and shoulder-high plumes of grass, with a relentless sun filtering through the trees. Should the jungle guides light a fire and cook lunch? I think not. We will dine instead on an avocado salad that cools the tongue and sustains us for the journey ahead.

Yeow, it’s hot. I write this on Monday, and everything but the jungle and guides is true. If the temperature drops between now and Wednesday when you receive this, save the recipe for the next hot spell that we all know is coming.

This week’s recipe was born on a beach in the Bahamas in the 1980s. Tony recalls vendors crisscrossing the sand with coolers full of icy conch salad. Tony wolfed it down and has been dreaming about that salad ever since.

I don’t know if the shrimp and avocado version he made for dinner one night was a faithful replica, but I loved it. The ingredients are simple, but the precise way he cut the vegetables and the proportion of avocado to everything else were perfect. I asked Tony to make it again so I could measure and jot down the ingredients as he worked. This salad will keep you cool in the jungle, on the beach or wherever you land in this heat.

TONY’S SHRIMP AND AVOCADO SALAD

1 lb. shell-on raw shrimp, briefly cooked and peeled

2 cups chopped sweet onion in 1/2-inch dice

2 avocados in 1/2-inch dice

2 cups chopped tomatoes in 1/2-inch dice

1 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Slice the shrimp into 1/2-inch cubes. Combine with remaining ingredients, taking care to cut the vegetables precisely. Gently toss. Cover and chill. Makes 4 servings.

GUT CHECK
What I cooked:

Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, crudités with yogurt ranch dip; tuna and edamame salad; roast garlic scapes and roast cod; chicken and asparagus stir fry; shrimp cocktail; baked ginger-soy chicken legs; antipasto, Roger’s smashed potatoes, grilled ribeye steaks and lime Jell-O (Tony’s fave, on Father’s Day); venison spaghetti sauce and cottage cheese baked in a spaghetti squash half; pulled chicken, fresh green beans, burst cherry tomatoes and shaved Parmesan; asparagus crustless quiche; Sonoran shrimp ceviche; blueberry pancakes and eggs; barbecued ribs, sesame green beans and steamed new potatoes; jian bing, a Chinese crepe with egg wrapped around fried wontons skins.

What I ate in/from restaurants:

Superfoods salad with chicken and pomegranate iced tea at Aladdin’s in Fairlawn; chicken gyro from Star Pizza in Copley; a Detox Smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe; a chicken Caesar salad and lemon cookie from Panera.

THE MAILBAG
From Darren B.:
(Responding to my request for his favorite recipe from his coleslaw survey): The below has been the favorite so far. This recipe was the 2012 Southern Living Cole Slaw winner submitted by Nadine Mesch from Mount Healthy, Ohio!

The first time I made the recipe I purchased two cans of chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce and proceeded to start chopping away. Halfway through the first can it dawned on me, after I of course had added them to the slaw, that maybe two cans was a bit much. Read the recipe again and realized my mistake…TWO peppers…not TWO cans. Good thing the dinner guests enjoyed spicy food.

CHIPOTLE-CILANTRO SLAW

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. sour cream

1 tsp. lime zest

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground pepper

1 (16-oz.) package shredded coleslaw mix

1 carrot, shredded

2 canned chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped

½ cup minced fresh cilantro

Whisk together first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Add coleslaw mix and remaining ingredients, and stir until coated. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 1 hour.

Dear Darren:
That sounds delicious. It would go great with ribs or burgers and my  Elote Corn Spoonbread from June 16. Maybe that will be our July 4th picnic. What’s everyone else having?

From Karen:
I have a friend who can’t eat onions in any form.  All the ketchup in the United States is made with onion powder. 

European ketchups do not use onion powder. They use tomatoes, spirit vinegar, sugar, salt, spice and herb extracts (contain celery) spice. (I took the ingredients label home with me!)  Do you know why the European ketchup is made without onion?

Have you seen a recipe or a brand here that does not use onion in ketchup?

Dear Karen:
I have no idea why European ketchup would be different from those sold in America. Your friend could make her own or buy the no-onion, no-garlic vegan ketchup made by Fody. Ingredients are water, tomato puree, sugar, vinegar, modified cornstarch, salt, spice extractive (no onion or garlic). The ketchup is available by mail order from a variety of sources, in health-food stores and some supermarkets.

June 16, 2021

Dear friends,

Wow, has post-pandemic life been hectic. I thought we’d ease back into the swim after being vaccinated, but it has been more like being stuffed in a cannon and shot across the Big Top. I’ve had lunches, dinners, restaurant meet-ups and a couple of trips across the state. Heck, Tony and I weren’t this popular pre-pandemic.

I bet many of you are in a similar situation. We want to see — right now! —  all of the family and friends we’ve missed for so long. I’m about halfway through the list and despite the whiplash, I’m not stopping any time soon.

In the midst of this visiting and cooking marathon, I bought a whole pork shoulder on sale, just for the heck of it. I made a spice rub and roasted the pork low and slow overnight in our Rube Goldberg backyard smoker-oven, then wrapped it tightly in foil and finished it in my regular oven — a two-step technique I learned from chef David Russo. The final two or three hours indoors at 325 degrees makes the meat so tender it shreds.

With 5 pounds of pulled pork in the offing, I had to invite a guest and make side dishes, which is how I invented Elote Corn Spoonbread. The pork was juicy and smoky but the spoonbread stole the show. It is rich and moist, studded with whole corn kernels,  topped with chopped cilantro and cotija cheese, and shot through with tangy lime. It really does taste like Mexican street corn.

 “When can I get this recipe?” my friend, Pennie, wanted to know. At that point, all I had was a scribbled copy smudged with barbecue sauce. Here it is in polished form for Pennie and anyone else in the mood for a flavor bomb. It would be a wowzer contribution to any get-together this summer. Maybe all of them.

ELOTE CORN SPOONBREAD

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup yellow corn meal

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter

1 cup sour cream

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp. baking powder

1 can (15 oz.) whole-kernel corn, drained

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Grated zest of 1/2 lime

Toppings:

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1/4 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresca cheese (available in Hispanic stores, or substitute crumbled feta)

Few dashes of Tajin seasoning (available in most supermarkets and Hispanic stores)

Bring milk to a simmer in a fairly deep saucepan. Stir in cornmeal, salt and butter. Continue to stir until thick. Remove from heat and let cool for about an hour. The mixture will be stiff.

Mash corn meal mixture with a potato masher until fluffy. Beat in sour cream, eggs, baking powder, corn, lime juice and zest. Turn into a deep 9-inch square baking pan or casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the edges are firm and toasty.

Sprinkle top of spoonbread with the cilantro, cheese and Tajin seasoning. Serve warm, dishing up with a spoon.

GUT CHECK
Here are some of the things I cooked in the last two weeks:

Smoked pork butt, elote corn spoonbread; toasted everything bagels with smoked salmon, goat cheese, blistered tomatoes, charred peppers, prosciutto, capers and fresh cherries; tofu and asparagus in peanut-coconut sauce; roasted chickpeas with Middle East spices; crispy baked kale chips; pan-grilled cherry tomatoes in balsamic vinegar; tossed salad with goat cheese and mustard vinaigrette, pan-grilled filet mignons.

Here’s a selection of items I ate in restaurants, at friends’ and various gatherings:

A custard-filled strawberry cupcake from Palotta’s Pastries in Cuyahoga Falls, a rare treat after cataract surgery; huevos rancheros at Mustard Seed Market in Highland Square; a mahi-mahi taco and Korean barbecued beef taco at Funky Truckeria in Norton; shredded barbecued jackfruit sandwich and homemade potato chips at The Root in Massillon; oven-braised ribs with vegetables in a yummy sauce and strawberry shortcake with real whipped cream at my friend J.P.’s house on Lake Erie; street tacos from Casa del Rio Express in Fairlawn.

TIDBITS
Thank you for the encouraging notes after I announced I was reducing the frequency of this newsletter to every other week. Many of you said you can relate. Joan B. wrote, “I enjoyed your email about not cooking like you did when you were younger. I am really having a hard time cooking like I used to. I would appreciate some easier, nutritious meal ideas.”

And from L.P.: “You have no idea how affirming your explanation of slowing down was for me. You really nailed the difference two decades can make in both entertaining style and routine.”

I’m also grateful for generous responses from those such as Tracey C., who wrote, “Happy that you’re taking more time for yourself. Please know we’re grateful for whatever you care to share whenever you care to share it,” and M.M. who wrote, “Every two weeks is better than none.”

Hopefully I’ll continue sharing for a long time.

THE MAILBAG
From Anne M.:
For the wheelchair-bound reader who inquired): My favorite Latino grocery store has remodeled and some aisles are wider. Not sure about entrance. San Miguel near the post office on Cuyahoga Falls Avenue near Route 8 in north Akron.

Recently I discovered that Swenson’s has a dessert that is a piece of cheesecake wrapped in a cinnamon-sugar wrapper and deep fried. OMG.

Dear Anne:
Keep the dessert news to yourself, buddy. I’m six pounds down and counting.

From Marty L.:
I made an angel food cake, then found a recipe in my Farm Journal cookbook for a sponge cake to use the 11 egg yolks. It calls for scalded milk. I did it on the stove but wondered if it could have been done in the microwave as well.

Also, I cooled the milk before drizzling in a small stream into the eggs while the mixer was running, so the eggs wouldn’t cook. The recipe did not say whether to cool or not. What is the purpose of scalding milk? I also wondered why the cake recipe contained no salt. I used salted butter.

Dear Marty:
Scalding milk (bringing it almost to a simmer) changes the structure of the whey proteins so they absorb yeast better. It also causes the milk proteins to react differently with the proteins in flour to make the dough more supple and easier to rise.  In your recipe, it makes the sponge cake lighter and springier. Before pasteurization, milk was also scalded to kill bacteria.

Yes, milk can be scalded in a microwave. And you were right to cool the milk slightly to prevent the eggs from cooking. I think your instincts also were correct in using salted butter. Although some cake recipes do not call for salt, in my opinion salt almost always heightens the other flavors in the recipe.

From Mary D.:
During the early months of the pandemic I bought a jar of Red Star active dry yeast. Do you know the conversion from instant yeast to this type?

Dear Mary:
Use the same amount of yeast. Merely dissolve the active dry yeast in some of the liquid (warm) from the recipe before adding it to the dry ingredients. Basically, active dry should be proofed; instant need not be because the particles are smaller and dissolve more easily.

June 2, 2021

Dear friends,

My grand dessert idea started as a mango-ginger soufflé glace that incorporated an Italian meringue and had a yummy sauce, but that plan quickly went south. Friends were coming to dinner for the first time in a year and I had to clean the house and buy a side of salmon and make a sauce and pick fresh mint from the back yard. Yes, I started days in advance and Tony helped. But still, it was all I could do to make a simple frozen chocolate mousse.

I just don’t have the oomph for such sustained activity anymore. I remember when I would test/create four recipes in an afternoon and review a restaurant that night. I remember when I not only made an appetizer, entree and dessert for a dinner party, but a sorbet palate cleanser, a salad with maybe marinated and baked goat cheese and homemade croutons, and homemade French bread. Yikes.

My recipes have gotten easier as the years have piled up. With occasional exceptions, that’s how I cook these days and I suspect many of you do, too. That’s fine. But to my chagrin, even that is sometimes too much. Therefore, this column will be slowing down, going from weekly to every-other-week publication. Many thanks to my publisher, Mimi Vanderhaven, for allowing me to do this. I hope you, my readers, don’t mind too much, either.

This week’s recipe is for that frozen chocolate mousse. It was a real treat even if it wasn’t mango-ginger.

FROZEN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

3/4 lb. good-quality bittersweet chocolate

2 cups whipping cream

2 eggs

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Whipped cream for garnish

Cocoa powder for dusting

Break up the chocolate and place in a large bowl. Heat three-fourths cup of the cream to a simmer and pour over chocolate. Let stand a few minutes, until chocolate is soft, and whisk until smooth. Let cool.

In a stainless steel bowl, combine the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until thick and warmed through, about 8 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and let cool.

Beat the remaining 1 1/4 cups cream until it holds soft peaks. Fold the cooled egg mixture into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the whipped cream until no streaks remain. Divide among six ramekins. Freeze at least three hours or overnight.

Place frozen mousse in refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Top with whipped cream and lightly sift cocoa powder over the whipped cream. Makes 6 servings.

GUT CHECK

What I cooked last week:
Grilled salmon with cucumber-dill sauce, French potato salad with garlic and mint, and  frozen chocolate soufflés with sparkling wine and a dry rose;  a steak and asparagus stir fry with blistered cherry tomatoes and steamed rice.

What I ate in/from restaurants, etc.:
A choucouterie board from my friend, Joan; Chinese jian bing — crunchy crepe and egg packets — with a salad with citrus dressing and berry-fruit gelatin at my friend Susan’s; a chorizo omelet, craggy wheat toast and fruit at the Green Marble in East Liverpool; roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw and a roll from the Circle Restaurant in Deerfield; a cup of tomato soup and a Southwest salad with chicken at Panera.

THE MAILBAG
From Daniel H., Highland Square:
What is (in your opinion) the best Mexican/Latin-American grocery store in Summit County? I’m in a wheelchair so it has to be accessible.

Any other stand-out ethnic grocers would also be great! I need to finally get out and do some good cultural shopping, cooking and eating!

Dear Daniel:
Good luck with finding a Latin-American store with wide aisles and an accessible entrance. It’s too bad so many country-specific  groceries are packed to the gills, with stuff spilling into the aisles. Even regular stores like Drug Mart pile products on cardboard end caps that scrape the sides of a wheelchair or motorized scooter, which I sometimes use.

That said, I don’t survey the local food scene as carefully as I once did. Retirement has its benefits. Most of the time I pop down to La Michoacana Mexican Market at 1448 Copley Road in Akron, both because it is closest to me and because it has a decent selection of produce and refrigerated items such as nopales and cotija cheese. The aisles aren’t terribly crammed but you might want to call to ask about accessibility: 330-864-0565.

Does anyone else have a favorite ethnic market to share with Daniel?

From Darren B.:
Have been on a coleslaw kick lately — have tried some great recipes but was talking to my wife and she mentioned the coleslaw from Jack Horner’s was always so good. Just wondered if you had the recipe. Thanks.

Dear Darren:
Now, that’s a blast from the past. I lunched at Jack Horner’s in downtown Akron a few times early in my career but don’t recall the coleslaw. Chicken house coleslaw, yes. Jack Horner’s, no. If anyone else has the recipe, please share. Meanwhile, Darren, how about sharing the best recipe so far from your coleslaw kick?

May 26, 2021

Dear friends,

Tony took a photo of me once bent over the stove with a hot pad in one hand and a pen  in the other. “That’s you,” he said. “That’s what you do.”

Yes. I create recipes. Measure, add to the pan and jot down the amount. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Not recently, though. It’s been all no-recipe recipes, inspired by  the talented Sam Sifton, Food Editor of the New York Times, whose latest cookbook

is “The New York TImes Cooking No-Recipe Recipes.”

I have spent my career browbeating cooks to supply info on cups, teaspoons and pan sizes. And here’s Sifton, saying such details aren’t necessary. He is right, of course, for a certain slice of culinary society. It’s the slice off the top, studded with those who have been cooking for years and know the difference between a simmer and a sear. That’s me and probably you, too.

I checked Sifton’s book out of the library and was ready when Tony lugged home a giant hunk of round steak instead of either strip or ribeye, whichever was less expensive, I told him.  Look for sales, I said. True, the round steak was just $4.95 a pound. But round is a tough cut no more suited to grilling than chuck roast.

In the spirit of Sam’s book, I set aside the pen and paper and made Swiss steak, which I hadn’t cooked in at least 30 years and which my Japanese husband had never tasted. I sauteed a bunch of sliced mushrooms and onions. Cut the steak into palm-size pieces and seasoned with salt, pepper and Slap Yo Mama. Browned, splooshed in some wine, added water and the veggies and simmered about an hour. It was worth every penny of $4.95 a pound.

Then I cracked Sam’s book and made his version of peanut butter toast: Toasted bread spread with peanut butter and topped with a squiggle of Sriracha, a few drops of soy and some sliced dill pickles. Pretty good.

Then I made Sam’s shaved cucumbers with peanut sauce. That one was better than pretty good. It wasn’t much more work, either. A sauce is made by eyeballing a few ingredients and shaking them in a jar. Soy sauce, rice vinegar and peanut butter figure prominently. Then a cucumber is shredded into ribbons with one of those spiralizer gizmos or, in my case, with a sushi chef who’s handy with a knife. Combine the two, toss on some crushed peanuts and cilantro and voila!

In my mind cukes aren’t supper, so I pan-grilled a couple of chicken breasts and made a thick, unctuous sauce with simmered coconut milk and some of the leftover peanut sauce. Now THAT was delicious.

Sifton’s book is available in bookstores and on Amazon. No recipes but lots of intriguing ideas.

SHAVED CUCUMBERS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

Cucumbers

Peanut butter

Rice Vinegar

Soy sauce

Ginger

Garlic

Red pepper flakes

Cilantro

Peanuts

Peel two or three cucumbers, then shave the flesh into ribbons that are like noodles. Dress that “pasta” with a sauce of a spoonful of peanut butter thinned out with a splash of warm water and a few tablespoons of rice vinegar and soy sauce. Add grated ginger, minced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Maybe some lime juice? Top the dish with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro and a handful of chopped roasted peanuts. Dinner!

JANE’S CHICKEN ADDITION:

Pound a couple of chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Brown in a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cook until done. Remove from pan. Add about a half-can of coconut milk and boil rapidly until thick. Stir in a sploosh or two of the peanut sauce. Pour over the chicken. Yeow.

GUT CHECK
What I cooked last week:

Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers with a chopped salad; fried chorizo-flavored SPAM topped with a fried egg, steamed asparagus, wheat toast; cucumber noodles with peanut sauce and pan-grilled chicken breasts with peanut-coconut sauce; steamed asparagus with balsamic vinegar and chunky sea salt. Note: I had high hopes for the chorizo SPAM but it tasted kinda dog food-y.

What I ate in/from restaurants, etc.:
Cajun grilled chicken salad with avocado and pita triangles at Alexandri’s restaurant in Wadsworth; poblano and chicken soup from my friend, Pennie; grilled chicken salad from The Rail in Bath; popcorn at Regal Cinema; orange whip and vanilla frozen yogurt at Sweet Frog in Fairlawn.

THE MAILBAG
From Anonymous:
Just a note to Judy R. Fresh Thyme in Canton almost always has fresh jackfruit. They will cut a slab for you. Also, Kreiger’s on Graham Road in Cuyahoga Falls often has jackfruit. I will say Fresh Thyme’s is better.

Dear A.:
I haven’t tried jackfruit as a substitute for meat, but I enjoy fresh jackfruit as a snack. I see it in season at Asian stores in Cleveland.

From Linda S.:
My sister has been making quite a few recipes from the website Simple Veganista. I have made some as well. The preparation time is longer than most recipes, but the food is very good. You can, of course, make your own variations if needed.

Dear Linda:
Thanks for the tip.

From Tracey C.:
Ever since I moved into my own place after 40-plus years of being a spouse, I’ve gravitated to sourcing my protein from eggs, beans, nuts and some dairy. Not for ethical reasons necessarily but just because for me it’s an easier, less expensive and happier way of eating. I’ve not had my head in the sand, but all the information about the system hasn’t prompted the same reaction from me as it has from your stepson and my 22-year-old daughter.

I still eat chicken, beef or pork maybe twice a week, and steak remains the only reliable way to connect with my 25-year-old son, so that has stayed in rotation every 4 to 6 weeks as well.

Thanks for making me think about it.

Dear Tracey:
I’m so glad you wrote. I continue to be surprised by how many food-lovers like me have cut back or cut out red meat consumption.

From Noreen S.:
We are a chili sauce sloppy Joe family, too. Over the years I started mixing in tomato sauce to cut down on the sugar. Lots of onions and green peppers were also added. My vegetarian version used finely chopped portobello mushrooms and Gardein beefless crumbles as the “meaty substance.”

Dear Noreen:
So my family wasn’t alone in its chili sauce fixation! The recipe must have been in a magazine in the 1950s, I’m guessing. Thanks for the note.